Sacred Tenets

by Beth Reason

  Chapter 10

  "Hello?" came a high pitched voice.

  Tenet put his ax down and stood. "Back here," he called.

  "My what an incredible amount of work he's done! You must admit he's done a lot of work, Mirvena."

  Tenet jumped off the last enormous chunk of the fallen tree and quickly put his shirt on. He didn't recognize the voice, but he knew it had to belong to another member of the community. He got the buttons fastened just before a young woman appeared on the path, Mirvena right behind.

  "Hello!" she said, sticking her hand out and approaching him. "You must be Mr. Lorne. Welcome to Ogden! My, you've been busy. I was just telling Mirvena it's amazing how busy you've been, wasn't I, Mirvena? Just look at this path! And that whole tree, almost chopped to bits already, and it couldn't have been more than a couple days at that. You must have experience in the forest, Mr. Lorne. Don't you think so, Mirvena? When Mirvena told us of you taking over the old Pierce place, I must admit I was shocked. Well we all were! It's cursed, you know. Truly. But you're here, and fine. And I cannot see a hint of the pox on any part of you. Of course, it's a woman who would be more susceptible, I suppose..."

  The woman spoke a mile a minute, all the while pumping Tenet's hand furiously. He was highly intrigued by the differences between the two women who stood before him. She was dressed in the same manner as Mirvena, in furs and soft boots, her hair long and flowing in the wind. That's where the similarities stopped. Where Mirvena's face was hard and weathered, this woman's was young, fresh, and smooth. Her eyes were dark, where Mirvena's were unnervingly light, and her hair was nearly jet black. And yet, there was something about the two women that made Tenet believe they were family.

  "Stop yammering, Gwyn. You give me a headache." Though the words themselves were harsh, they were said kindly.

  Gwyn grinned. "Sorry, Mirvena. I do tend to babble on and on, don't I?"

  Mirvena sighed heavily. "Get on with it."

  Gwyn turned back to Tenet. "Oh, right! I'm Gwyn. I'm the historian of the septad and when Mirvena told us of your origins, I knew I must come and speak with you. A Southlander here among us! What you could add to our chronicles is mind boggling."

  So they wanted stories of a foreign land, did they? Tenet smiled. "I would be happy to answer any questions you have."

  Her eyes lit up and she shot a triumphant look at Mirvena. "See auntie? I told you he'd be willing to narrate."

  Mirvena's lips were pressed tightly together. "You are too quick to trust the narrations of a stranger. Nothing gets added to the chronicles until his veracity is confirmed."

  Gwyn rolled her eyes. "Of course not. But you already know he's told the truth so far."

  Tenet quirked an eyebrow, but said nothing. This interaction was proving very interesting.

  "So far," Mirvena grudgingly admitted.

  "And really, what has he to gain by lying, hm? And even if he does lie in his narrations, I can simply add a note in the chronicles that lets the future know he was simply spinning stories. Honestly, auntie, you worry too much. It's a narration, and the only one from a Southlander, I'll remind you. Why, all we know for fact about them is the lies the army men told us, right? Right. So, Mr. Lorne, what day would you like to sit for the first narration?"

  Tenet had no idea what that would involve. "I...uh..."

  "Can't you see the boy's busy, girl?" Mirvena gave a firm nod. "Deep winter. He won't have anything to do then but count snowflakes anyway."

  Gwyn was undaunted in her enthusiasm. "That's a good point. I wouldn't want to take him away from his work."

  "Or ours," said Mirvena. She finally turned her attention to Tenet. "You have no solar collector."

  Tenet blinked, thrown by the change of topic. "Uh, no. No we don't."

  She nodded firmly. "Then you will accept our offer of a trade."

  Apparently Tenet was just a bystander in the planning of his life. He would sit for a narration, whatever that was, and he would trade with them, all because they said so. He should have been annoyed, but found the whole thing almost comical. Even if they were using him, it was better than hating him, and he took the whole thing as a good sign. "I have nothing to trade."

  "You have a strong back and a big stature." He quirked an eyebrow and waited for her to explain. "Mordin is in need of wood for the winter."

  Gwyn interrupted to explain. "See, he's elderly, our Mordin. And, uh, less than friendly."

  "He's senile," Mirvena said bluntly.

  "He's...not himself these days," corrected Gwyn, clearly trying to shed a kinder light on Mordin.

  Mirvena scoffed. "He pinches asses and yells at the girls who try to help."

  The picture was getting clearer. "So you want me to help chop wood for a senile old man that may pinch my ass and will probably definitely yell in exchange for a solar collector?"

  "He's really not so bad..."

  "Of course he's so bad!" Mirvena scoffed. "Why do you think our own men won't help? He's managed to offend and injure half the community."

  "Then why help him?" Tenet didn't mean to be rude, but it really was a very good question and he believed Mirvena respected directness.

  "Because he used to be great. We don't cast out our people just because of something they can't control." Mirvena gave Tenet a pointed look and he knew she was drawing the lines between his culture and hers, subtly instructing him on the ways of her community. He knew that was definitely a good sign.

  "He's very orthodox," said Gwyn. She wanted Tenet to know exactly what he was in for. "You'll probably have to listen to lectures and conversion speeches. You'll definitely have to work fully clothed, which you should anyway, by the way. It's far too close to winter to be working with a shirt off. That's inviting infections in to your lungs, you know..."

  "Gwyn!"

  Gwyn sighed. "Sorry, Mirvena."

  "Well?"

  Mirvena and Gwyn both stared at him expectantly. There was no way he could afford to refuse. The solar collector was a surprise. He didn't know these mountain people would have anything like that. And he and Scarab sure could put it to good use. But more than that, he knew this might be the only opening he'd get into the community. Mirvena believed what he had told her. He would have known that even if Gwyn hadn't said. She wouldn't be here again otherwise. And the look on her face said that she clearly knew he would take the trade. She was giving him a smug look that almost dared him to refuse. He fought back a smile thinking of how well this woman and Scarab could get along if they could get over their stubbornness. "I would be honored to help a revered member of the community."

  Gwyn grinned warmly, but Mirvena scoffed. "Don't you go saying anything like that to him. The last thing he needs is someone confirming his fantasies of grandeur!" She gave Gwyn a nod. "Let's go and let the boy get back to his own work." Mirvena turned and started walking back the way they came. It was the first time Tenet actually saw her leave, and he was tempted to watch to see if she'd disappear in a poof of smoke or a flash of light.

  "I'll meet you here tomorrow morning and lead you to Mordin's," said Gwyn.

  "I'll see you then," Tenet replied.

  "It was lovely to meet you, Mr. Lorne. I look forward to our narration sessions. Please feel free to..."

  "Get to it, girl!" Mirvena snapped.

  Gwyn rolled her eyes. "Tomorrow," she said with a nod before she turned and trotted after her aunt.

  Tenet stared after them until they turned off the path and disappeared from view. Then he stared at the empty path for awhile after, his mind turning with all the new information. The chilly breeze snapped him from his reverie and he went back to his job. By evening, the entire tree had been chopped into burnable sized logs and stacked as neatly as possible under the eaves of the house on two sides. He still didn't know if it would be enough for the winter, but for now, it would have to do. He ate his meal and tried to turn his mind off to get a good night of sleep before what would no doubt be a long and interesting day.


  In the morning, Scarab still hadn't come home. He hesitated to leave in case she came back and needed him, then laughed sadly at his own thought. She didn't need him. Still, he dug up some paper and a pencil and wrote her a note letting her know where he'd be. He took one last swig of coffee, then stepped out the door to find Gwyn already waiting for him on the path at the edge of the forest.

  "Good morning!" she called in her high, sing-song voice.

  "I'm sorry, have I kept you waiting? You should have knocked on the door."

  She shook her head. "Oh, no. I won't go near that house. Besides, it's a lovely morning to stand with the sisters and welcome the sun."

  Tenet reached her side and she turned and began walking. "Mirvena's not with you today?" he asked, looking around.

  "You were deemed less of a threat than Mordin. I was the one to gather wood for him last year, and I lived through that. If you decided to be any less than a gentleman, I've proven I can handle the situation. Are you truly from Southland? Oh, that's a silly question and I know it. Of course you are else you'd have a much thicker citizen file." She glanced sideways at him. "You look surprised at that."

  "I just...I didn't know you'd have access to any kind of file on me."

  Gwyn laughed, where he knew Mirvena would have taken offense. "We aren't backwards, Mr. Lorne. I know what's said about us. We're old fashioned hill people, stuck in the past, barbarians. We are old fashioned in our clothings, and our religion is certainly ancient and respected. But that doesn't mean we can't also take advantage of modern conveniences when we see fit. True, there are some orthodox members..."

  "Like Mordin," Tenet said.

  "Yes. They stick to old ways. And I mean, old old ways. Not simply pre-impact, but pre-mechanics. We're talking a breath away from caveman living. They believe it's honorable, a way to truly bond with the earth. But isn't a metal machine a greater homage to the power of the ore the earth provides? Okay, so perhaps it's not a greater homage," she said answering her own question. "But equal, surely. There's no harm in their thinking, though, and it's actually very good to have such differences of thought in a community because that breeds acceptance and the combinations of new ideas that one tenet alone simply wouldn't. Tenet. Huh. Is that why you've got your name? Was your family deeply religious?" Tenet opened his mouth to answer, but she cut him off. "Listen to me trying to get your narration before it's allowed. Forget I asked such a personal question out of turn. I didn't mean any offense."

  "I didn't take any," Tenet said quickly. It was clear if he wanted to get any words into the conversation, he'd have to act fast when she paused for breath, which, to him, didn't seem often.

  "That's good, because the last thing I want to do is offend you and make you sorry you agreed to narrate for the chronicles."

  He had to chuckle at that. "I don't remember agreeing. I'll do it, of course. I just didn't feel the priestess gave me much of a choice."

  "Of course not. That's just the way Mirvena is. Priestess of the septad is a very difficult position, especially when there's a newcomer. You can't think badly of her for her abruptness. She's simply got so much weight on her shoulders that there isn't time for friendliness. Trust me, you've already been offered more friendship from her than I've ever seen her show any other outsider."

  Tenet frowned. "Why?" It was the question he'd been kicking around all night.

  Gwyn shrugged. "She is an excellent judge of character. She needs to be. We need her to be. Besides, like I've already said we've found nothing contradictory to your story, right down to the soldier who had orders to escort you here and then leave you to your own."

  "You don't trust soldiers."

  Gwyn's face looked shocked that he'd even ask that. "Would you in our position?"

  He shook his head. "I'm sorry, but I don't know your position."

  Gwyn thought that through for a second. "You met with that Jarvis demon. Certainly you know he's not to be trusted."

  "Yes, we figured that. I had a hard time keeping my wife from taking a swing at him."

  Gwyn said nothing about that. "Jarvis has been trying to get rights to our springs for water for his crops. He's spent the last ten years trying everything he could to gain our trust. He won't get the springs or the trust. He can't. If you knew his military record, you'd see he's as corruptible as they come. He claims to be working for the government, but he's only working for himself. If we allowed him one foot on our land, he'd take it all. He's already ignored the governmental warning about our tribal boundary. It's what got him demoted."

  Tenet was surprised to hear that. "Ward chief is a demotion?"

  Gwyn laughed. "Mr. Lorne, being a ward chief for the government simply means that he is little more than an accountant. It's a fancy title for a job that has no power whatsoever."

  That explained a few things, not the least of which was Jarvis's air of self importance. He used to be great, no matter what he was now. "What position did he used to have?"

  "He was a lieutenant with the armed services. It was his assignment to create the trade road over this mountain. Early in the assignment, he tried to cut a swath through our forest without permission, even though he had already been told it was sectioned as sanctioned land. He was demoted and stationed in Nortaberg as punishment."

  It didn't sound like that much of a punishment, in Tenet's opinion. "It's not bad there."

  "It's nice now," Gwyn clarified. "But you should have seen it ten years ago when he first got there. That was before the main roadway was built and all the commerce flooded into town. Cut the population by two thirds, the businesses by even more, and you had a very fitting jail for a city born big shot."

  "So he built up Nortaberg?"

  Gwyn laughed. "No. It would have built up as a trade center with or without Jarvis. It already had been a stop over point. The good road just made it all much easier. But just because he didn't build it doesn't mean he didn't get rich off it. He's only a pencil pusher, but he's a rich pencil pusher. He's got it in his head that with enough money, he can buy his way back to the military path."

  "Why would he want to do that? Clearly he's got an easier life now than that of a soldier."

  "Easier, maybe, but definitely a dead end. The only way up in politics in this country is a solid military career. He believes that enough money can buy him a pass on his transgressions. And the way to money is crops and livestock. He's maxed out on his capabilities in both departments, so he's trying to find a way to reap our riches. Water, land, lumber, grazing fields...Honestly, if we cared about national power, our resources would buy us a pretty fancy throne. Watch the roads here," she said, changing tracks.

  Tenet looked around. He'd been so engrossed with their conversation that he didn't notice they'd reached the central circle with the eight paths.

  "Quick, which is the road to Nortaberg?"

  He looked at the seven other pathways in front of him. He stared hard, looking for any little sign, but after a minute gave up. "They all look the same."

  Gwyn nodded. "Yes they do, if you do not know what you're looking for. Let me show you how to tell what goes where." She walked to the center where all the paths met. "Come here and look." He joined her and they slowly turned in a circle. "Every Celtist community has the same layout, though they will not at first appear that way. Some use circles, like we do. Some squares, some diamonds...it depends on the history of the septad and the surrounding environment. We are a circular community. Surely you noticed that your clearing is shaped in a circle?"

  "Yes."

  She nodded again. "Now, though the shape is different, everything else will be the same no matter which Celtist community you visit. It will be in this layout, one road leading in to the center of the shape and branching off into seven possible paths. Each path will lead to a shaped neighborhood or, in your case, a single house. To decide which way you need to go, you must remember the look of the roadway leading out of town. Like I said, there will only be one. And if you
study the trees around it, you can easily tell it is different. They have been marked. See if you can figure out which is the proper one."

  Tenet turned slowly, looking at the trees to see if he could notice any differences.

  "Look hard, Mr. Lorne," Gwyn said. "Remember, the differences will be subtle to those who do not know they exist."

  Tenet continued to stare at the trees around each path until his eyes stopped on one. There were no branches on the side facing the center. He turned and looked at the others. They had no branches hanging over the path, but they did have branches pointing to the center. He turned back and pointed. "There."

  Gwyn smiled. "Well done, Mr. Lorne!"

  "Please, call me Tenet."

  "No, you're wed." She didn't explain what that had to do with anything. "You see it now, how clear it is when you're told to look for a difference? It will be the same no matter what Celtist village you visit. In the warmer lands, it will be cacti. In the colder lands, different styles of trees. But there will always, always be a sign of unwelcome. The sisters of the community will not reach out a friendly arm in welcome from the outside world. Remember that."

  He would make sure to remember.

  "If you should forget, simply look down." Tenet quirked an eyebrow and looked down. "While it looks as if the paths are evenly spaced, they actually are not. A trained eye can easily see the extra space around the one leading out."

  He had to laugh. She was right. All the signs were incredibly clear once he knew how to look.

  "Now, this is absolute secret. I'm trusting you, Mr. Lorne, and I firmly believe you have lived a life that earns that trust. However, it is time to be completely serious." Her face changed, then, and now there was no mistaking the family ties with Mirvena at all. "Should you betray this trust, we will find out and you will not live to betray us a second time."

  Tenet swallowed hard. Though he had absolutely no plans on betraying them at all, the quick change in this woman was startling. "I would never do that. Your secrets are completely safe with me."

  She assessed him for another minute with her piercing glare, then smiled and nodded. "Good! I needed to get that said and out of the way before we proceeded. You understand. Now, how do you know where to go from here? How do you get back to your house? How do you get to any others? It's really quite simple." She stood in the center again, her back to the path leading to Nortaberg. "Pay attention, now. This will also be the same in every village.

  "As you stand with your back to the pathway out, directly across from you will be the defensive center. Since it is the most likely path an intruder would take, it makes sense to put the warriors there. However, it is also the way to run for help. They will kill an enemy, but they'll also help a friend."

  Tenet's eyes went wide. "How will they know the difference?"

  "They're not morons, Mr. Lorne," she said with a wry smile. "Someone running in screaming for help is different than someone sneaking in holding a weapon."

  Tenet chuckled at himself. "Fair point."

  "The path to the left and the path to the right will lead to the merchant and community areas. Stores for trade will usually be on the left, and civic centers will most often be to the right. Since this isn't always true, though, you may have to take a connecting path. You'll find those well marked with clear signs, though."

  Tenet was surprised at that. "Like real signs, or more branch language?"

  She laughed. "Real signs. If an enemy has gotten that far into the community, then it's a little too late, isn't it?" She had a point. "And the paths on the outside will lead to homes, farms, and grazing lands."

  "There's only one home on my path."

  "And it's good to remember that," she said. "Usually you'll find the same. One path will lead to the beginning of the connected neighborhoods and farms, and the other will lead to the house for those who have been...less than model citizens, shall we say."

  "Oh."

  "Mirvena said we do not cast people out. We don't. Not technically. They're still offered the protection of the town. But that doesn't mean we want to be around them."

  He frowned. "So I'm living in kind of a prison?"

  She shrugged. "It used to be before we abandoned it to the army's con man. I'll explain, but let's get moving now. We've got a lot of work ahead of us." They walked down the path that Tenet now knew would lead to the neighborhoods. "The man who lived in the house before you pretended to be an outcast Celtist."

  "Wait a minute. You just said you don't cast your people out."

  "We don't. But sometimes people grow unhappy and make themselves wander without a septad. They do it to themselves. He presented the perfect picture of a disenfranchised Celtist, and we offered him the shun house. It was empty, and he needed to prove himself before we allowed him entry into the community proper."

  Tenet saw where this was going. "But he was really working for Jarvis."

  "Exactly," she said. "It became clear fairly quickly. He knew some of our lore, but he slipped and called us 'Celties'."

  "That matters?"

  Gwyn shot him a look, but she saw he wasn't trying to offend. "Of course it matter, Mr. Lorne. We take our Celtic heritage very seriously. The outside world does not. Everyone has something that makes their hackles rise, and that's ours. It makes it sound silly and childish, instead of a proud, ancient tradition. No Celtist would ever use that word. Ever."

  Tenet shrugged. "Hey, at least he was a bad con man. Imagine how bad it could have been for you if he was any good at it."

  Gwyn laughed. "You think with a positive lean towards life, don't you, Mr. Lorne? I like that. Yes, I suppose you are correct. As it was, though, he did enough damage with his spying and reporting to Jarvis. A raid was organized, and if he hadn't been so inept, you're probably right, it probably would have cost our lives. As it was, it only cost his."

  So the man hadn't made it through. Tenet hoped he wouldn't face the same fate. "So how did Jarvis get control of the home?"

  Gwyn's face twisted into a wry smile. "Mirvena's way of letting him know such a thing would not happen again. She had the village warriors pack up the personal belongings of the dead medic, then they marched it all into town right to the town house. I joined along to be able to add the experience to our chronicles. You should have seen Mirvena. I do not think you could have a worse enemy in life than Mirvena. She called on all the power the sisters and Mother could provide and I'll admit even I was a little afraid when she slapped the key on the desk and dared Jarvis to try such a thing again."

  Tenet's eyes went wide. "And the soldiers did nothing?"

  Gwyn really laughed then. "Mr. Lorne, I don't believe you've yet grasped how things work around here. The reason Nortaberg grew was that it was allowed to grow. The Ogden Septad rekindled this area from long ago ashes, and easterners decided it was to be friends with the Celtists. Good for them, that is. We're very successful in our endeavors and even in the lean times when the Mother is stingy with a good growing season, we've always got plenty to trade. Nortaberg has many displaced Celtists living among their numbers. That didn't change when Jarvis moved in. In fact, it renewed the faith of some we had believed were lost to us forever."

  It was incredibly interesting and Tenet would have liked an entire day with Gwyn to learn more about the village and people he hoped to claim as his own. However, they reached a group of seven houses and Gwyn stopped talking to Tenet. She stopped in the middle of the path and said a chant, then waved a hand up, over, and around Tenet. He stood still, not understanding what specifically was happening, but knowing it was important to Gwyn.

  When she finished she took a deep breath and smiled at him. "There. That should clear anything that Mordin could cite as a spiritual objection. It's the best fortification I can offer, Mr. Lorne. The rest will have to be up to you." With no more said about the ritual, she turned and strode to the closest house. At the door, she told him to wait, then knocked seven times and entered.

  Tenet stood
on the doorstep and waited. And waited. And waited. Minutes stretched longer and longer, and he wondered if he was going to be rejected. He turned around and looked at the houses of the neighborhood. Seven houses stood in a circle, the front doors facing in with the heavy forest looming up behind. Once again, it was seven. He was pondering this when he suddenly became aware of eyes on him. He looked around and at first didn't see anyone. Then a slight movement in a window caught his attention, and he looked closer. The windows of the other houses were filled with gawkers. He wasn't sure what to do, so he decided the friendly route was the best option. He lifted his hand and gave a general wave to all the other houses. One by one, curtains closed, calling an end to his brief introduction to the community at large. He sighed heavily as the door behind him opened.

  Gwyn stepped out, her cheeks red and her eyes angry. "It is well," she said in a clipped tone. "Come with me." She moved past him and made for the side of the house. The thatched roofs of the homes in the circle nearly touched, creating a covered walkway to the back yards. Gwyn was silent and moved quickly. Tenet wondered what happened in the house, but knew better than to ask.

  They entered the back yard and Tenet was surprised to see how isolated it was from the neighbors' yards. Though the houses were close, the circular yard in the back was it's own unit, fanning out from behind the house and surrounded by bushes and trees so thick, Tenet wouldn't have known there even were neighbors at all if he hadn't seen the houses for himself. The circle of bushes curled on the sides and blended right into the thicket of the forest to the back of the yard. There was a clean path in the very center of the back wall of plant life, lined with cobblestones and leading back into the dense trees.

  Gwyn walked through the grass to the cobbled path. "There is sister marked for felling."

  Tenet could hear the anger still in her voice. He had to duck to enter the forest, and then blink for his eyes to adjust to the low light. The cobbled path split into three routes shortly after they entered the forest. Gwyn took the path to the left. It was only a few more steps until Tenet saw a large tree, obviously dead but still standing, with a red ribbon tied around it. "You will have to think hard about bringing this one down, but I've seen how you swing and ax. You should be fine. I will leave you now. You will be fed at the noon meal."

  "Are you okay?"

  She looked at him for a minute before answering. "It is my duty to help care for the Grandfather. But that does not mean it's always an easy task. Watch yourself, Mr. Lorne. Please. He was once a great man, and half of him is stuck in that history." With that, she turned and walked down one of the other cobbled paths, leaving Tenet to face what he believed would be two great challenges on his own.

  Tenet glanced back the way he came. There was no sign of anyone, so he turned his attention to the tree. He'd worry about Mordin later. For now, he had to figure out how in the hell he was supposed to chop it down. It was one of the tall ones, taller than the tree he had struggled with on the ground, and easily twice as thick. Mirvena was intentionally testing him, and he had to admit she couldn't have picked a tougher challenge. If he didn't want to be part of the community so badly, he would have walked right back to his house and started making plans on where they could go next spring. But he did want to be part of the community, and damn if she didn't have that one figured out.

  He eyed the surrounding forest. There was a gap in the trees. If he could chop the trunk in the right way, he might be able to get the tree to fall in the gap and hurt no other sisters. He chuckled with the thought. Sisters. Tenet shook his head, gripped the ax handle firmly, and began to chop.

  Two and a half hours later, with his arms and back burning, his shirt dripping with sweat, and legs like jelly, he sunk the ax head into the wide V he made in the tree and heard an answering crack from the trunk. He was about to take another swing when the implication of that noise sank in. There was a snap, a groan, and another crack as the tree trunk shifted. Tenet swore and dove behind a large healthy sister he hoped would protect him in case his math was wrong, and peered out to watch the graceful and surprisingly sad ending of such a large tree. It seemed to Tenet to pause for one last farewell to the canopy before slowly leaning forward and giving up. Though it didn't land exactly where Tenet planned, it merely scraped a couple trees. They sprang back quickly, alive and healthy as they got out of the way for their dead sister. The great noise didn't even echo in the dense forest and the only sound after it lay on the pine needle floor was the rustling leaves of the healthy trees settling back into place.

  He did it. Tenet stared at the dead tree, now laying prone before him. He did it! Tenet held his ax over his head and gave a triumphant whoop.

  "How dare you rejoice over the death of a sister?"

  He spun around to find an elderly man on the path staring at him with anger. Mordin. He knew it from his bearing if nothing else. The man stood with authority, carried himself with the practiced grace that spoke of a long life at the pinnacle of society. He was old and withered, but there was a clearness in his eye and a careful hand given to his dress that made Tenet wonder just how senile he really was.

  "No, sir," he said, dropping the ax down and straightening his own back. Mordin wasn't the only one born to a high station. "I am rejoicing in the fact that you will now have heat through the long winter, and that it is my honor to be the one selected to assist in your well being." He wasn't the son of dignitaries for nothing.

  Mordin looked as if he expected something else. He stared at Tenet for a minute. "You are a sycophant then." He waved a hand. "I have no need of any more of those in my life."

  Tenet was suddenly swamped with a feeling of familiarity he'd yet to feel so strongly in this strange new land. This man was a king in his own mind. How many "kings" had he appeased in his life? He knew just how to play this. "Is showing respect to one's elders being a sycophant in your eyes? I was lead to believe that you hold a sacred position of honor in this community."

  The old man's eyes flared. "Of course I do, boy."

  "Perhaps I have misunderstood my own position in this community, then."

  "You have no position in this community!"

  "And yet, here I am." Tenet gave Mordin the same smile he'd given countless government leaders, nodded, then turned back to the tree before the old man could see the self-satisfied grin he knew he couldn't hold back. There. Let's see what he has to say about that, he thought as he raised his ax and began the task of chunking up the tree.

  Mordin was struck dumb. This man, this boy dismissed him! He was too outraged to speak and after he felt his jaw flap a few times while he watched the boy get back to work, he turned and stormed back to his home. He'd have a word with Mirvena about this, he surely would!

  Tenet worked until he needed a break, then sat on the log and sipped from the canteen he brought. He couldn't see the sun directly, but figured it was getting near the noon meal. He surveyed his work and couldn't help but be proud. Not only was the tree down, but two sections small enough for him to drag out were cut. He was getting much better at chopping wood. Perhaps he'd be a tree cutter in his new life. Now what would his father have to say about that?

  He took a deep breath and leaned back against a tree. The two minutes he'd spent in Mordin's company had been two too many. The man could have been his father's twin. It wasn't what he said, really. It was the tone, the look. The man was clearly arrogant, self possessed, and an egomaniac. Anyone who'd spent any time among the very rich and very powerful could sense that personality from a mile away.

  Tenet swallowed his water and rubbed the sweat off his face. Okay, that wasn't nice. He only exchanged a few words with the man. It wasn't fair make such a brutal snap decision. It occurred to Tenet that perhaps Scarab was rubbing off on him a little, too. He never used to assess people either so quickly or so harshly. He had to look at it from Mordin's point of view. He clearly used to be a man of power and wealth, respected, high society in whatever terms that meant for this commun
ity. And now what was he? A senile old man with little power that the villagers only cared for out of necessity, not desire. He had to cut the man some slack. Next time, he wouldn't be so quick to be snippy with Mordin.

  Gwyn approached with a bucket. "You've felled it!" she said, clearly surprised he actually managed the task. "I knew you had experience. I told Mirvena you'd be the right man for the job." Her mood was greatly improved over how she left him that morning, and he was happy to see that Mordin hadn't given her any more trouble.

  "Actually, I've never chopped a tree before coming here."

  She didn't look like she believed him, but said nothing. She handed him the pail. "Here's your noon meal. You've more than earned it! Why, at this rate, I'll be you'll be done in just a few days."

  Tenet took the pail and lifted the cloth. He was surprised to see two kinds of meat along with the boiled turnips. He had assumed ones so in touch with nature didn't eat much meat. "Thank you. This looks good."

  Gwyn smiled at him. "I also have a message for you." Tenet's eyebrow went up. "Wren came back from Nortaberg with news of your woman."

  "Is she okay?" Tenet asked quickly.

  Gwyn studied the change in him. She was right and Mirvena was wrong. This man loved his wife. His concern was instant and sincere. She'd have a great time rubbing it into her aunt! "She was in town trading fresh pelts."

  Relief flooded through Tenet. He hadn't realized just how worried he'd been, and suddenly something deep inside uncoiled and eased. "She went hunting nearly a week ago. I didn't know how long she'd be gone."

  "Hunting takes awhile, Mr. Lorne. If it's only been a week, that's nothing to cause worry. And it sounds as if she's been successful, too! Wren himself bought two pelts. Lovely wildcat furs."

  "Wildcats?" The thing had that uncoiled in the pit of his stomach began to twist tightly once again. She never said anything about hunting cats. Deer and rabbits and harmless beaver, that's what she promised she was after.

  "Yes, of course. Pardon me if this is speaking out of turn, but you have a very clever woman. Wildcat furs trade for the highest value. Well, nearly. Bear and hill goats go for a lot as well, though I doubt she'd have much luck finding them this time of year."

  Tenet swallowed hard. "Bear?" Though he'd never seen one, Fratz had filled him in on how quickly the giants could kill. The thought of Scarab facing a bear all by herself made him feel queasy.

  Gwyn understood that she should have kept that bit of information to herself as she studied the paleness of Mr. Lorne's face. "Listen to me babble on about nonsense. Of course she won't face bears, Mr. Lorne. They're all beginning their hibernation cycle." He looked dubious. "Truly. It's just me rambling on and on. Mirvena's right. Sometimes I don't know when to shut my yap. And if it helps, the fact that she's capable enough to take down wildcats means she's more than able to handle a bear."

  He latched onto that hopeful thought. "Really?"

  She nodded firmly. "Absolutely. Bears are large, cumbersome, and very, very stupid. A wildcat is fast and smart. It's far more dangerous. Believe you me, she can handle herself."

  "What is all this chatter in my forest?"

  Gwyn's happiness vanished with Mordin's voice. "I brought the noon meal, Grandfather."

  Tenet could see no resemblance between the two either in looks or bearing. He wondered if Grandfather was a title of position rather than a familial name.

  "Handing over a pail does not require speaking. Who gave you permission to speak to someone so beneath your station?"

  Gwyn shot Tenet an apologetic look, but Tenet was having none of it. "She had news about my wife, sir."

  "Oh did she, now? And what could possibly be so important as to ruin my noon commune?"

  Gwyn's mouth opened in what Tenet was sure would be an apology. "My wife has been hunting wildcats in Nortaberg and Gwyn had word that she is well," Tenet explained. "Surely that is worth sharing."

  The old man scoffed. "What kind of wife hunts wildcats?"

  "Mine." Tenet held the man's gaze firmly, even when Gwyn tried to gain his attention. Let the man challenge that, he thought, more than half hoping he would.

  "Grandfather, I was just leaving. Would you need anything of me?"

  The old man held Tenet's stare and tried to return it, but Gwyn could not be ignored. Mordin's eyes flicked away first, and Tenet felt a small moment of triumph.

  "My dear, I didn't notice you standing there!"

  Tenet quirked an eyebrow. Gwyn sighed in obvious relief, making Tenet even more confused.

  She held out her hand to the old man. "Yes, Grandfather. Let's go take care of you and leave this boy alone to chop your wood."

  Mordin took Gwyn's hand in his. "You look lovely this afternoon, child."

  "Yes, Grandfather. Come."

  Just what in the hell was going on? One minute Mordin was yelling and challenging in anger, and the next...Tenet would almost call it flirty. Perhaps the man really was senile.

  The old man turned with Gwyn and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. "Your eyes are like Anna's."

  "Thank you. Come now," she urged again, stepping forward.

  Mordin's hand slipped down her back and cupped her bottom. Tenet stood and was about to put a stop to it when Gwyn turned and looked at him. She gave a little shake, then nodded toward the tree, clearly telling him to let it be and get back to work. Mordin was leaning in now, trying to take a nip of Gwyn's neck. Tenet's hand clenched at his side and he watched until he couldn't see them anymore. He tried to make sense of what just happened, of the dirty old man, of the young woman who accepted it. Or did she? She certainly didn't seem to object. Did she do it for him? To ease the tension and make it easier on him?

  Tenet picked up his ax and went back to work, a feeling of unease at the turn the day took eating him, driving his ax faster and harder. By the time it was starting to get dark in the forest, Tenet nearly had the whole tree sectioned. He'd bring his saw tomorrow. He wanted to get this job over and done with as quick as possible. The thought of what Gwyn did on his behalf was too much. He'd have to speak to her, as uncomfortable as it would be, and tell her he could handle a little heat from Mordin. He walked out of the woods. It was much lighter in the yard, but still clearly late afternoon. He considered knocking on Mordin's door and letting him know he was done for the day, but he just didn't think he could face the dirty old man.

  Tenet left the neighborhood and only had one moment of hesitation at the crossroads before choosing the right path to his home. He walked in tired and numb, hoping to see his wife. She wasn't there of course. The house was so quiet it ached. He was tired, sore, and confused. He had been building a picture of these people, this community. He thought he had a handle on it. And then a dirty old man makes a pass at what he thought was a prim and proper young lady and everything turned upside down.

  Tenet knew he needed food, even though his mind was too churned up for him to be hungry. After he washed, barely even feeling the cold water, he munched down a few dried vegetables and a chunk of jerky. And then he lay in bed and tried to concentrate on the deep ache in his back and leg to give his busy mind a distraction. He spent a long, uncomfortable, silent night missing Scarab so badly it added to his aches until he finally gave up and headed out at first light. He was determined to be done with the job that day.

  He worked like a man possessed. Sometime in the morning, Gwyn came to check on him and see why he didn't wait for her to escort him.

  "I didn't want you to get in the middle between Mordin and myself today." He nodded toward his backpack. "I even brought my own lunch."

  Gwyn looked hurt. "I...I'm sorry. Did I do something to make you angry, Mr. Lorne?"

  Tenet gave a laugh at the absurdity of the question. "No, Gwyn. You didn't. I just don't want to put you in another...um...awkward position."

  The hurt changed to utter confusion in her face. "I don't understand what you mean by that. I wasn't in any awkward positions yesterday."

  Ten
et felt his face redden. He hadn't expected to have to explain it out. "You know. With his hands all over you and..."

  Gwyn could see his embarrassment, but couldn't think of why this should be. Perhaps Mr. Lorne misunderstood. "Mordin has no wife, Mr. Lorne."

  Tenet felt flustered and in his surprise, he blurted out exactly what he was thinking. "So you act like his wife?" He instantly wished he had bit his tongue. Or at the very least, been more delicate. The last thing he wanted to do was make an awful situation worse for her.

  Gwyn took no offense. "Wouldn't you do the same for someone so lonely if you weren't married?"

  Tenet was too stunned to say anything at all.

  "Look, Mr. Lorne. I appreciate your obvious concern, even though I must admit I can't understand it. Sometimes Mordin gets too forceful, and that's a fact. It's simply a product of his senility. And everyone knows not to let married women around him. He's too far gone to respect that barrier. And he can also be very mean. He's got a vicious tongue on him and I meant it when I said you need to watch out for that. When he's in the mood, he'll find your greatest weakness and jump all over it. But it's something he can't help and it doesn't mean we should ignore his basic needs."

  It was too much. It was all too much. Tenet knew if he kept speaking with this woman his disgust would grow. He had to work and get away. He had to finish his job and go back to his house and wait for his wife who might be able to sort it out for him. He mumbled a thanks, wished her a good day, and got back to work, throwing his whole self into the job.

  Gwyn watched him work like a man possessed and was deeply concerned. She clearly had said or done something he didn't agree with or didn't understand, though she couldn't fathom what that was. She decided to visit Mirvena and discuss the situation with her. Perhaps they could meditate and come to some understanding.

  Tenet found that if he scored the large chunks with the saw, they split easier with the ax. By afternoon, the tree was chopped into burnable sized logs. All that remained was hauling and stacking, and he put in a good show on that until it was simply too dark to keep it up. He had to make it back to his house with the flashlight and didn't see Mirvena standing in the crossroads until he almost ran into her. He gave a startled gasp and jumped back.

  "You'd do well to look where you're going, boy."

  "I'm sorry, Mirvena," Tenet said, his heart thumping. "It's dark."

  "It gets that way at night around here."

  He thought he heard amusement in her voice. "I'm almost finished with the tree."

  Mirvena turned and started walking towards his house as she spoke. "I heard that progress was faster than expected. You're a hard worker, I'll give you that." Tenet didn't know what to say to the compliment. "Gwyn was disturbed by your conversation with her this morning," she said eventually.

  Tenet cleared his throat. "I didn't mean to disturb her."

  "She's convinced that you believe she did something wrong. Is she right in that assumption?"

  Boy, she got right down to the root of things quickly, didn't she? Tenet sighed. He had hoped he concealed his disgust better than he obviously did. "I just don't understand."

  "I believed that to be the case." She took a deep breath. "You outsiders, you all have an unusual way of looking at the world. Especially you Southlanders. What is it you call that state religion of yours?"

  "Enlightened Humanism."

  She scoffed. "It's hardly enlightened, and it seems to me if it was at all humane, you wouldn't have had a bounty on your head by your own father."

  Tenet stopped cold. How did she know? It must have been Krupkie who informed Mirvena, since he was sure Jarvis knew nothing about it.

  Mirvena could feel the fear radiate off the boy. "Rest your mind, boy. I'm keeping that one to myself. It will be between us."

  He was too tired and worn out for tact, diplomacy, or guile. "Why?"

  Mirvena frowned. "It's not your place to ask why, young man. My reasons are my own. I only share this with you to give you opportunity to explain your rude behavior towards my niece."

  "I didn't mean to be rude," he said quickly. Mirvena figured as much, but was still glad to hear the sincerity. "It...it just threw me for a loop. I always thought that...um...relations were to be between a husband and a wife."

  Mirvena knew he squirmed in the dark. She knew if the light was better she would see humiliation in is face at having to say such things out loud. Good. That meant she judged his character properly. He was such an odd innocent. It intrigued and pleased her. The woman? She had a feeling it was a different story entirely with her. But the boy, he was an asset, not a threat. "Coupling is a force of nature, child. The body can no more ignore it than food."

  Tenet didn't agree, but he didn't know how to say so without causing even more offense. "That's...it's a new concept for me. It caught me by surprise."

  Mirvena let out what passed for a laugh. "A new concept you say? Then you've got a very confused marriage."

  On that, he didn't even try to disagree. "It is not conventional, that's for sure."

  Yet there was love. Mirvena didn't doubt it. These outsiders were certainly an interesting pair. "We embrace the physical release. We understand that it is a symptom of humanity, a calling of nature, and a gift in a world that's hard. I do not ask you to convert to our way of thinking. But I do demand that any within our borders respect our beliefs."

  Tenet swallowed, feeling like a child getting lectured all over again. "Yes, ma'am. I didn't mean to..."

  "Mean to or not, you did. And you should meditate on it tonight." They were in front of his house now. "Meditate on which way of thinking is better. That is your work for tonight. Who is right? Your way of denial and frustration, or our way of allowing a natural occurrence to strengthen our bond and harmonize with the world around us?" She sounded proud of her assignment. "Yes. That is what you will do tonight." She gave him a thump on the arm and then was gone.

  "Goodnight," he called into the dark. He strained and listened carefully, but couldn't hear any footsteps. One of these days, he'd ask her just how it was she did that.

  He tried to do as he asked. After he cleaned and ate, he sat in his quiet house and tried to weigh her words. The only thing that happened was that he became keenly aware of just how badly he wanted to hold his wife. Any thoughts of the physical sharing Mirvena wanted him to ponder brought Scarab's face to his mind, her body, the feel of her against him. He sighed heavily. Maybe that just meant Mirvena was right. He climbed into bed and lay on his back, staring at the ceiling in the glow of the fire he needed to light to take the bitter chill out of the room. He hoped Scarab was able to light a fire wherever she was.

  Was it day seven without her? Day eight? His jaw tightened and twitched when he thought about the pelts. She was out there doing this for him, and he knew it. She would have been able to pass a winter by herself with far less than they already had. She was out there facing wildcats and bears for him.

  He missed her with an ache so fierce it cut. He closed his eyes tightly and thought of her face. A need just as bad as food, Mirvena had said. Perhaps she was right.